Ann turned her head to look at the woman. Her face, not much different from when they’d first met, looked gloomy. Like a hinge rusted by time…Her neat face looked worn. 

Ann’s heart ached, thinking it was because of her.

“I don’t mean to hurt you.”

“……”

“It’s true that I dislike you. But…”

“I understand what you’re saying, Your Majesty. So please don’t worry anymore.”

“Ann.”

“I hope I can meet someone good in Saphoras. Someone good enough to introduce to His Majesty. This winter, I’ll definitely create a family and appear before Your Majesty.”

Ann smiled. Her fragile smile, ready to crumble, was pale like moonlight. Ingrid couldn’t answer and lowered her gaze. A leaden guilt pressed down on her heart. But there was no other way, wasn’t there? If she didn’t do it this way…

“Yes, Ann. Meet someone good and definitely build a harmonious home. You can do it.”

Ingrid forced a smile. Nausea churned her insides, but she didn’t show it. Ingrid raised her hand and stroked Ann’s pale face. Ann smiled faintly.

* * *

It was morning, three days later. Lennox saw his maid hurriedly packing her belongings. More precisely, she was staring blankly at the maids packing.

His brow furrowed mercilessly. At Lennox’s appearance, the maids who’d been packing stopped moving all at once. He ignored the maids greeting him with their hands clasped neatly together and looked at Ann.

“What are you doing?”

His unrefined low voice was terribly cold. Ann slowly turned her head. Her haggard face was still pale. Lennox glared at her gaunt face with clenched fists. Ann had no expression. Her calm face resembled a wax doll.

“Ann.”

“You said it was good to go for a summer vacation.”

“Didn’t you say you didn’t want to go?”

“I changed my mind.”

Ann shrugged. Lennox tried to calm his rising anger. But watching this woman go against him made all those efforts feel useless.

“Even so, you can’t go alone.”

“Why not?”

Ann asked. Lennox stared at the woman intently, then burst into laughter. Ann bit her lips tightly. Lennox rubbed his eyes, then grabbed Ann’s slender chin.

“Where do you think you’re going without me?”

“I have free will too.”

“You’re my maid. Have you forgotten your duty?”

He growled lowly. Ann looked at him, then dropped her gaze. It was hard to face him. 

Every time Lennox showed his emotions this way, she felt like her blood was drying up. She thought about what to say. But Lennox was first.

“…I was going to go for recuperation.”

“Even so, getting my permission comes first!”

Her ears rang. Ann looked at him with a face ready to shatter. Lennox stiffened his expression, startled by his own shouting.

Ann looked twisted, like she was about to cry. He withdrew his hand from the woman and stepped back two paces. His heart pounded rapidly. His mouth went dry. Lennox dropped his gaze diagonally, then barely moved his lips.

“I’m sorry.”

But Ann gave no answer. Lennox rubbed his face and swallowed his ruined emotions. He raised his head. Ann was staring at him, frozen white.

“I know you’re sick. You need someone by your side to care for you attentively. Not that I’ll stick by you every day making a fuss… You need someone to watch over you.”

“……”

“So you can’t go alone.”

It was a stubborn yet ridiculous excuse. No, maybe not quite an excuse since some sincerity was mixed in. But one thing was certain—he didn’t want to leave Ann somewhere he wasn’t. 

She had to always be by his side. Being sick was also an unacceptable reason.

If she was sick, Ann needed to be by his side even more. Because he was the only person Ann could rely on. Lennox knew she had no one. So she had nowhere to hide. 

Yet where was she trying to run away to now?

What would she do without him? What would this woman, weak enough to lose consciousness, do spending time alone at that remote villa?

“I’m not alone. The maids too…”

“Ann.”

“It’s very close to Countess Ilva’s summer villa too. She’ll look after me.”

“Countess Ilva?”

“Yes. The lady I met at Sir Alfiers’s wedding last year. She’s very sociable and also…”

“You’ll live relying on a woman you saw once last year?”

“Your Majesty.”

“…I can’t understand you.”

Lennox twisted his face. Ann bit her lips. She chose her words, steadying her breathing. She wanted to say she’d never wanted his understanding. But as always, when they faced each other like this, her mind went blank.

“Your Majesty has many things more important than looking after me.”

“That doesn’t mean I’ll leave you alone.”

“No, Your Majesty. I don’t need Your Majesty anymore. I…”

Looking back at what she’d said, it was too cold. But she needed to be cold now. Ann knew she had no real choices. As always, the futures she could choose were limited. And Lennox wasn’t in those futures.

“When Your Majesty holds the royal wedding, I’ll truly be alone.”

Her voice, soaked at the edges, trembled finely. Tears flowed down her cheeks. Ann crossed her arms, hugging herself, and blinked rapidly.

Lennox would marry Charlotte. Since Lennox, who kept Charlotte at a distance yet never spoke of breaking the engagement, would also welcome his Queen according to Ingrid’s words.

“I’m afraid of the winter I’ll face alone. Winter often takes precious things from me.”

This winter would take Lennox away. Ann raised her head. Lennox blurred in her hazy vision. Ann didn’t want to sob in front of him and moved her feet. Lennox didn’t stop Ann as she left the bedroom.

* * *

The next morning. Ann boarded the carriage with two maids. Even packing little by little, the luggage was always plentiful, and because of that, the maids’ hands weren’t enough, so even Ann had to carry bags. 

The maid suggested selecting one more attendant, but Ann didn’t want to increase the number. There would be servants at Belvyrund anyway.

She was essentially being driven out—what was the point of making such a fuss like it was something good? 

Ann thought this while recalling Lennox. He was now a man who hurt like a bruise just by thinking about him.

Would it be better if Lennox just got married quickly? What if she returned to the palace after he had a child with Charlotte?

‘No, the best thing would be never returning to the royal palace at all.’

Ann rolled her lips and bit them. Right. The best thing would be not returning to the royal palace. While she was at it, settling permanently in Saphoras would be the very best thing.

“Miss, does your head hurt again?”

The maid sitting beside her asked carefully. The maid who’d lived as Ann’s servant for a long time would turn white and fidget anxiously whenever Ann’s face became even slightly pale.

Ann, who’d been leaning her head against the window, looked at the maid. The maid named Monica was a woman with a frame smaller than Ann’s, petite and gaunt. She had thin, wavy brown hair and darker chestnut eyes.

Her slightly crooked nose turned up a bit, but she had large, pretty eyes, so Ann had heard she was quite popular. Ann recalled the day several years ago when she’d first been introduced to Monica.

“Are you really from Bluebilt?”

When Ann said she was also from Bluebilt Village, young Monica had widened her eyes and asked back. It wasn’t a look of belittling or looking down on her. She just seemed purely surprised.

Ann thought about herself and Monica, who despite both being from Bluebilt, lived markedly different lives throughout their upbringing. Monica said she was lucky to become a palace maid.

“I’m a really lucky child. It’s really hard to become a palace maid. The palace, and of course noble houses, don’t hire children from Bluebilt Village as maids.”

“Then how did you become a palace maid?”

“Lady Rosalia… oh, no… the lady of the estate where I used to work valued my diligence highly. It’s something to be grateful for. Thanks to that, I can receive more wages. I’m happy because I can do more for my siblings.”

Monica said with a grin. Ann stared at the girl blankly. Monica, who had five younger siblings, said she worked hard every day for them.

“I thought I was the luckiest child in the world, but seeing you, Miss, I think you’re the luckiest!”

“What?”

“You wear such pretty dresses and pour tea for the Queen Dowager every day.”

Monica said with a truly envious face. Only then did Ann realize how different her and Monica’s appearances were.